US Magazine endorses Pakistan’s IWT stance, warns India against weaponising water

• The National Interest warns India’s suspension of IWT threatens South Asian stability
• Reaffirms treaty’s legal binding, emphasizing India must ‘let flow’ Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab waters
• Flags Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project as a potential treaty violation
• Urges strict adherence to IWT to prevent humanitarian and regional security crises

ISLAMABAD: A leading US magazine has warned that India’s recent actions could destabilise South Asia and turn water into a strategic weapon while strongly endorsing Pakistan’s stance on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

In an in-depth analysis, The National Interest said India’s move to suspend aspects of the Indus Waters Treaty marks a dangerous shift in regional water politics, carrying serious legal, humanitarian, and security implications.

The magazine stressed that the Indus Waters Treaty remains legally binding and cannot be unilaterally suspended. It recalled that in August 2025, the Permanent Court of Arbitration reaffirmed that India is obligated to “let flow” the waters of the western rivers—Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab—for Pakistan’s unrestricted use, regardless of political disputes.

Highlighting Pakistan’s legal position, the article noted that withholding water flows or suspending hydrological data sharing violates international law and undermines one of the world’s most durable water-sharing agreements.

The report specifically flagged India’s Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project as a move that raises serious treaty concerns. The project is a planned 260-megawatt run-of-the-river expansion on the Chenab River in the Kishtwar district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, designed as an extension of the existing 390-MW Dulhasti Stage-I project, operational since 2007.

According to available details, Dulhasti Stage-II involves diverting Chenab waters through tunnels to an underground powerhouse, allowing India to extract additional energy from the river.

The National Interest warned that such projects, if pursued without full treaty compliance and transparency, could alter river flow patterns and erode Pakistan’s guaranteed water rights under the Indus Waters Treaty.

The magazine also criticised India’s reported suspension of hydrological data sharing with Pakistan, calling it a breach of established international norms. It cautioned that water scarcity, if politicised, could escalate into a major humanitarian threat across South Asia.

Describing the treaty as a cornerstone of regional stability, the publication underlined that the IWT is a fundamental guarantee of food security for Pakistan, where millions rely on river flows for agriculture and livelihoods.

The analysis contrasted Pakistan’s continued engagement with dispute-resolution mechanisms, including Neutral Expert proceedings, with what it described as an emerging asymmetry in treaty compliance by India.

Concluding its assessment, the US magazine stated that attempts to weaponise water are unacceptable under international law and are likely to face scrutiny from international courts. It urged strict adherence to the Indus Waters Treaty framework, warning that any deviation threatens peace, stability, and human security across South Asia.